First time buyers 'turning to the internet'

21-Jun-2007

More and more first time buyers and other homeowners are turning to the internet as a means of looking for a new home, it has been revealed.

Research from the Halifax Estate Agency has found that ten per cent of homeowners currently begin their property search online, with 29 per cent saying that they would do so the next time they wanted to move.

That figure is only set to increase moving forward, the study indicates, with 43 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds having used the internet to visit property websites.

"Finding a new property on the internet has certainly increased in popularity with the ease of searching from your own home and the ability to search thousands of properties at a click of a button revolutionising the process," advised Halifax Estate Agents managing director Colin Kemp.

However, the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) has said that demand for more traditional services will remain high.

"There will always be strong demand for good, professional agents who can provide expert guidance and support for consumers who are making their way through the complicated home buying and selling process," NAEA chief executive Peter Bolton King.

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